The parent application Ser. No. 08/705,247 discloses and claims a computer system comprising a base computer with a detachable self-contained mobile computer unit. The base computer and the mobile computer in that system each are fully functional when the mobile computer unit is detached from the base computer. Each of the base and mobile computers in the system of Ser. No. 08/705,247 have all of the components of a general purpose computer ("conventional computer") i.e. a processor, memory means, internal storage means, activation means, video display controller, input/output controller means, as well as external connector parts. Thus by "self contained" as used throughout this disclosure and claims is meant a general purpose conventional computer with conventional computer components (except for power and display) but when in an enclosure also has built-in capacity to interface with external sources of data and information. Also the self-contained core computer of this present invention has unique means to electrically connect to a plurality of equally unique different enclosures, such as other computers including mobile, laptop, or base computers, cars, appliances, televisions, home systems, such as alarms, electrical and heating systems, office units and equipment such as fax machines, copiers, telephones, dictating equipment and the like, or any other suitable enclosure. The core unit of this invention, while it has all of the components of a conventional computer, will not function as such unless it is attached to a mating enclosure.
In commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 5,305,244 and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/538,194 and its continuation application (filed May 22, 1997) a mobile user supported computer apparatus is disclosed having means for attachment of the computer and display or just the display to a user. The user supported computer disclosed in these applications or patent is commercialized under the trademark "Mobile Assistant", which is a registered mark of Xybernaut Corporation of Fairfax, Va. The Mobile Assistant is very lightweight, versatile, efficient, can be attached to a user and is voice activated thereby leaving the user's hands free to repair or otherwise carry on the work being done.
There are known various systems for using removable modules for use in other computers or structures. These modules typically have only one function and are not a fully functional independent computer. Also known are removable dockable mobile computers that are fully functional computers that may be inserted onto a docking station to further enhance their functions. It is important to note that these prior art dockable computers are fully functional computers independent from and apart from their docking stations. Some of the systems are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,488,572; 5,526,493; 5,608,608; 5,627,974; 5,632,020; and various PCT publications WO 94/1637; WO 93/00627 and WO 90/11628. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,488,572 (Belmont) a notebook computer which is fully functional before docking is docked on a motorized expansion base unit. Before the docking event occurs, the notebook computer communicates with the expansion base unit via a sense signal. This notebook computer and docking station are specifically designed to work together and interact. The notebook computer is not a universal computer that can be used with other docking stations indiscriminately. In Belmont if the expansion base unit determines that the notebook computer is in a proper state for docking, it activates its motor to load the notebook computer. This is a very specifically designed system where the notebook computer and the docking station must be specifically structured to accept each other. The docking base unit cannot accept other computers not intended to be compatible therewith.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,526,493 (Shu) discloses another docking system for computer expansion. The Shu system relieves a computer user of the task of manually placing the portable computer in the suspend mode prior to docking with the docking station. Here again the portable computer 12 of Shu is a fully functional computer before docked with docking station 14.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,608,608 (Flint) discloses the use of two chassis and a cartridge having separate functional components that interface with one another over a common bus. Flint's cartridge has only a processor and memory combined to a second bus and at least one slot for housing a communication module that is coupled to a second bus. The cartridge is intended for use in laptops, notebook and sub-notebook computers. The cartridge of Flint does not process the functions generally required in a general purpose computer, specifically storage means for data, operating systems and software, and video display interface electronics, both of which are contained in the chassis of Flint, not the cartridge. Therefore, the cartridge is dependent on at least one of the two chassis for data retrieval, operating software, application software and video interface, all of which are needed for full functionality of the computer as a whole. As will be described later in this disclosure, the presently described invention contains all of the storage, processing, video interface, and software in the core unit, which allows this core to be used with any closed housing without concern for the version of operating software, application software or video setting. In Flint, these settings must all match properly for the computer to function. In addition, Flint requires three separate components (two chassis and the cartridge) while the invention herein requires only two components.
Watts U.S. Pat. No. 5,627,974 provides a computer docking system having connection means for connecting a portable computer to a docking station, and means for allowing a microprocessor in the docking station to talk to underlying software using the central processing unit of the portable computer. The portable computer of Watts is fully functional before and after docking; it can perform the usual computer functions without being docked.
Gephardt U.S. Pat. No. 5,632,020 discloses a dockable computer system capable of hot or warm docking, the bus arbiter grants exclusive non-preemptive access to the buses to the docking agent which is capable of quieting (rendering inactive) the bus of the portable computer and docking station in response to a notice signal. All of the PCT publications noted above disclose conventional inter-docking stations which accept a mobile computer to become with the mobile computer an active desktop computer unit.
None of the above prior art discloses the concept of a standardized mobile core unit that has universal usage in a plurality of standard enclosures.